


A Very Kalijah Roadtrip

by kcatdino



Series: Holidays with the Mikaelsons [2]
Category: The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Bickering, Christmas, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Gen, Kat's nefarious plots, Mikaelsons as a family, Roadtrip, Sequel, Smut, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED, inspired by published works, mentioned Damon/Elena/Stefan, snowstorm and the heat goes out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:55:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29208474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kcatdino/pseuds/kcatdino
Summary: Elijah Mikaelson is on a roadtrip to Mystic Falls with ex-girlfriend Katerina Petrova when a snowstorm hits. They have to pull into a motel to wait out the storm, with no heat, no power, and only one bed.Inspired by Jackie  Lau's Holidays with the Wongs book 2: A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas.This is technically a sequel to the first in my series, Holidays with the Mikaelsons. It can be read stand alone but contains spoilers for the earlier work.
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, Elijah Mikaelson & Finn Mikaelson & Klaus Mikaelson & Kol Mikaelson & Rebekah Mikaelson, Elijah Mikaelson/Katherine Pierce, Finn Mikaelson/Sage
Series: Holidays with the Mikaelsons [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2123115
Comments: 16
Kudos: 24





	1. Just two old friends in the car

It’s been years since she’s seen Elijah Mikaelson, and here she was, running late. He values timeliness as a virtue, so wasn’t it just her luck her bus was running late to drop her at his condo building. She drags her suitcase into the lobby of the skyscraper and stops short when her breath catches at the sight of him. He’s always been a nice-looking man, but now he wore his suit like it was the simplest thing, perfectly tailored, and perfectly filled out. His face had gotten more angular, a perfectly sculpted Greek statue of old, topped with coiffed dark hair. She was glad she had taken the extra time to primp, even if it made her miss the bus that would have gotten here with plenty of time. Her hair was curled just how she liked it, with a red winter coat that went to mid-thigh, paired with heavy sweater tights against the cold. All topped off with her customary stilettos. She hadn’t been half as comfortable in them the last time they saw each other, just as he hadn’t worn his suits half as well. She sighed at the sight of him, and he turned at the sound, his dark eyes piercing her in a way no other man had come close.

Elijah steps forward to kiss her hand “Miss Petrova, how wonderful to see you again.”

“Bringing out the last name, you must be pissed that I’m late” she replies wryly.

His eyes twinkle, but he otherwise ignores her comment. “I can take your bag. The car is this way.”

She decides to match his mood. “Such a gentleman, Mr. Mikaelson.” They stroll up to the standard Mikaelson SUV parked valet. He holds open the passenger door for her and she repeats the affectation.

They are on the road a few minutes before Elijah speaks again. “How are you liking living in Chicago?”

“It’s a big city. Easy to get lost in.” They both know she didn’t mean she lost her sense of direction in it.

“I didn’t know you were living here before you called me.” His eyes flash with what would have been hurt if Kat had thought it possible for an emotion like that to show on his face.

“That was by design” is her simple reply.

“Why?” They stop at a light and her turns in his seat to look at her head on. “Why have you not reached out to me before now?”

She refuses to look at him, keeping her eyes on the stoplight in front of them. “We both know we didn’t leave things on good terms.” He sighs and turns back to the road. “You could have reached out too, you know.” He just purses his lips, and they sit in silence once more. “Let’s pretend we are on good terms. Tell me how you’ve been.” Her words turn girlish and she batts her eyes, uncaring that he can’t see the effect while he watches the road.

“I’ve been running the family law offices since Mikael’s death, and Finn is attempting to take over as family patriarch. Rebekah is backing my play, as well as Niklaus, while Kol plays both sides of the fence, though he seems the most delighted when Finn takes a humiliating loss. Finn seems to think that as the eldest and the only one with children in their immediate future, he should be able to order all of us around.”

“Not to mention he was always Esther’s favorite.” Kat pipes up, delighted to be catching up on Mikaelson family gossip. “I’m sorry to hear about your father, by the way. I should have sent a card.” Elijah mummers his thanks and she changes the subject. “Why isn’t Klaus in the eternal tug of war for next-top-Mikaelson?” Elijah takes a moment, clearly considering how much to tell her. “I already know he’s a bastard, in every sense of the word, I just didn’t think it would stop him from going for the throne.”

“Niklaus no longer considers himself a part of our family. He keeps the Mikaelson name for the opportunities it opens but seems to believe that his status as half-sibling keeps him above the rest of our petty squabbles. He’s wrong of course, he is involved in all of our squabbles, but allowing him to think that means he isn’t fighting me for my ‘throne,’ as you put it, and it means he will listen to my advice more frequently, since he isn’t ‘beneath’ me.”

“I see you haven’t stepped down from the position of Klaus handler.” She snickers. “So none of the rest of your siblings have gotten married by now?” She doesn’t mention the slight of not being invited to Finn and Sage’s wedding, despite having been with Elijah for months at that point. “I thought for sure Rebekah would have forced you all to her blowout wedding by now, regardless if she had a groom or not.”

“Rebekah remains unlucky in love.” Elijah puts simply, and Kat thinks that’s an understatement if she’s ever heard one. “Though it may interest you to know that Finn and Sage played a matchmaking experiment on the rest of us at Thanksgiving.”

That gets her attention. She turns in her seat to face him completely. “Why didn’t you lead with that? Oh my god, that had to have gone horribly wrong. Who did they invite an ex for?”

“How did you know they invited someone’s ex?” Elijah finds himself relaxing now that Katerina is happy in his presence. She always was like a shark with fresh gossip in the water.

“Because they clearly took inspiration from the same sort of novels I read. And no, don’t ask. Just tell me who!” Her face is shining with anticipation.

“Both Rebekah and Kol got ex paramours, though Rebekah got in a fistfight with Alexander before he crossed the threshold and Niklaus threw him off the property altogether.”

Katerina looks like Christmas came early. “Kol rarely has a long-term relationship, who could they have chosen?”

“Sage invited one of Kol’s flings from his attempt at culinary school. Turns out the boy was from the same town Finn and Sage had just moved to, and Sage wanted to make amends for Finn’s awful behavior last time they met.”

Katerina looks cautious for the first time. “What was the kid’s name?”

“Mr. Jeremy Gilbert, if I recall correctly. Why?” Elijah was worried about her change in demeanor, but she switched to a different mood just as quickly.

Katerina put on an exaggerated pout in her face and voice “Why wasn’t I invited?” He pauses, unsure how to voice the realization Klaus had at that awful dinner that no one either himself or Klaus had dated had measured up to Finn’s standards. “It’s because Finn thinks I’m a ‘two-bit hussy’, isn’t it?”

Elijah’s grin is wry. “He didn’t put it in so many words.”

She smiles back at him, “Please, that was my best Finn impression.” And then they both laugh for a moment. “Alright, so we already have a fistfight and Finn’s homophobia. What else went horribly wrong?”

Elijah thinks for a moment, figuring out where to start. “It didn’t go horribly for Niklaus, he has been in a relationship with my date for the evening since that day.” He smiles when she gives the anticipated reaction.

“WHAT?!?!” she shrieks at him. “He just stole your date like that? And I’m supposed to be the hussy.”

“They had apparently already been on a… date, and failed to exchange last names, that combined with Niklaus’s insistence on going by his nickname, meant that the poor girl had no idea whose family Thanksgiving she was going to. Klaus and I of course, weren’t aware we were going to be set up at all before she showed up. He was quite disappointed to find she was paired with me.”

“And since Klaus doesn’t usually ‘do’ relationships, that meant they hooked up and fucked each other’s brains out. I bet they didn’t even exchange numbers the first time around.” Elijah nods his agreement. “Oh, this is amazing! There’s no way I’ll be the biggest topic of gossip among your family after that. I take it the two didn’t fess up immediately upon seeing each other?”

“No, it was quite a surprise to the rest of us when Miss Forbes and Miss Marshall got in a heated argument over dessert and she let slip her _connection_ to Niklaus.” He ceases smiling at the memory, sympathy at the woman’s embarrassment at odds with Katerina’s joy.

“Wait, which one is he now dating? Caroline Forbes or Hayley Marshall?”

Elijah decides to file Katerina’s knowledge of the residents of Mystic Falls away to examine later, “He knew and is now dating Miss Forbes. I believe they will both be joining us for Christmas Festivities whenever her mother is working at the sheriff’s office.”

“And Caroline and Hayley already hated each other, how juicy.” She looks uncharacteristically satisfied, and he wishes he could have put that look on her face in the manner they used to engage in. But even if she was willing, he had several more hours of driving before they got to Virginia.

He decides to finally ask the question that’s been on the tip of his tongue. “How do you know so much about the inhabitants of Mystic Falls?”

She eyes him critically. “The same reason I wanted you to drive me there.”

He quirks an eyebrow. “Which would be…?”

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to” she sighs, and leans back in her seat, pretending to sleep.

“I do hope you are not making me an accessory to murder.” Elijah says dryly, after two hours of silence in the car. She merely batts her eyelashes at him, feigning confusion. “Your reason for visiting Mystic Falls. It’s not to harm any of the inhabitants, is it?”

“Oh, Elijah,” she purrs, “I’d have to be caught for you to be considered an accessory in the first place.”

He chuckles, surprising her. “Far be it from me to underestimate your considerable capabilities. I merely want assurances that your intentions in Mystic Falls not be considered a crime, in the unlikely event they should come to light.”

She coolly studies him, something sharp in her eyes. “If you know not to underestimate me, then you know there’s nothing to worry about, regardless of what I do once we get there.”

His voice is even as he continues to stare at the road, though his eyes are as sharp as her own. “And the reason we couldn’t have flown? Perhaps you wish to avoid a paper trail?”

“My darling Elijah,” Kat coos at him “I wished to spend as much time with you as possible, of course.”

“Funny, I seem to remember you wanting my hands occupied with something other than driving.” Elijah’s voice doesn’t change, even as the subject of his words does.

“You don’t have to be totally occupied. Or are you still against road head?” When Elijah sputters in response, Kat knows she’s won and leans back, closing her eyes to savor her triumph. She can pretend to sleep for at least another hour while she plots.


	2. Sprinkles and Regret

“We ought to stop for food soon.” The words are enough to wake her from her thoughts. She cracks a single eye open to look at him. “Do you have anywhere you would prefer?”

“You know me, ‘Lijah; I don’t eat fast food.” She drawls, stretching comfortably to keep up the pretense she was sleeping.

“Yes, I remember.” He looks lost in memories for a moment, before shaking himself out of it. “It will significantly delay us if we have to stop for our meal.”

Kat adopts her most serious tone. “Guess we’ll starve to keep to your schedule then.” When Elijah doesn’t look amused, she sighs. “Just get me some donuts or something and I’ll be fine. I’ll eat anything with frosting.” She winks at him even as her cheeks heat up. They had spent some good times with frosting, he’d likely remember it regardless. From the way his hands tighten on the steering wheel until they are white, he parses her meaning.

He pauses, seemingly uncertain of his words. “We could stop at a restaurant. Somewhere nice enough for both our palates, but still quick in service.”

“Elijah, do you want to have an actual date-quality meal with me?” She teases, but privately she’s delighted he’d consider the delay for her. Until she remembers her mission. “Donuts will be fine. I think there’s a decent place in a mile or two.”

She gets sprinkles all over his car.

She’s not sure why he minds, it’s not like he’s the one who will be cleaning them out of the seat later, with all that Mikaelson money. Maybe he’s mad because she spilled the sprinkles on purpose. Most people wouldn’t have been able to tell, but Elijah had always been too good at reading her. That, and the fact that she managed to avoid making a mess on her clothes, meant he was all too aware of her intentions.

She licks the donuts frosting off her fingers with a satisfied hum. Elijah had gotten a breakfast sandwich the place was somehow still serving at nearly 5 at night, and now he was watching her out of the corner of his eye. She’d be more worried he wasn’t paying attention to the road if he hadn’t always been a superb driver. “See something you like?” She teased, but it has no effect.

She turns the radio dial until she finds the Christmas station. Elijah purses his lips but doesn’t say anything. Kat quietly hums along to the songs until they reach “Santa Baby.” She had once stripped to this song for Elijah. They had been exclusive for almost a year at that point, and she surprised him when he got home to their shared apartment. She lets the memories wash over her for a moment, before sneaking a glance at her car mate. He looked almost…. wistful? That couldn’t be right, Elijah rarely expressed regrets and only looked back fondly on memories with his family. She hurriedly shut the radio off, shutting them in a thundering silence, with only the sounds of the road for company.

It’s quiet a few moments, as she watches a struggle play out across his face. Most people wouldn’t notice it, the fluctuations are miniscule, but she can see it all the same. She still starts once he finally speaks.

“I never fully apologized, did I?”

“For what?” She knew exactly what, they both did, but she needed to hear him say it.

“For putting my family first. For not protecting you or standing up for you against any of them.” He takes a steadying breath. “I know it’s too late to prove my word against Esther or Mikael, but if you wished to accompany me to Christmas dinner, I would happily put myself on the line to defend you against my siblings.”

Kat is stunned. So naturally, she reacts with snark. “If you’re trying to win me back, you should have offered to pull off at a cute bed and breakfast, skipping the Mikaelson family holidays all together.”

“How long would that win me? A weekend? I have no doubt we would enjoy ourselves during our time together, but you were never just a fling to me, and I see no reason for you to be now” he says sadly.

“So? You respect me too much to spend a weekend _enjoying_ each other? What kind of bullshit is that?”

“No, I have simply missed you too much in our years apart to taunt myself with a single taste of what we could have had.”

The way he says it, so matter of fact, gives Kat pause. She decides to venture the question that’s haunted her. “Do you regret it?” She says in an uncharacteristically small voice. “I know you want to apologize, and are offering to do better in the future, should there be a future, but do you regret it?”

He turns as much as he can while still watching the road, trying to catch her eyes. “I very much regret the way we ended things. I regret not cherishing you more fully. I regret not spending the years since in your arms, by your side. Where I should have been, should be.” His voice is heavy, full of both promise and regret.

There’s no way she can follow up a speech like that, so she just lets the silence hang in the air, heavy between them. They are both so involved in their own thoughts it’s several minutes before they notice the snow coming down the road around them.

“I should check the weather forecast” Elijah murmurs, turning the radio back on. Once he’s done fiddling with the dial, they listen mutely to the weather forecast. Apparently a snowstorm was blowing through Appalachia, covering the route they were supposed to be taking.

“Good thing you’re such safe driver, huh?” It’s not really a question, or a statement, just something to break the silence. She still gets offended when he shushes her. Then she hears it, the station is listing which roads are closed and she starts to get a little twitchy. She needs to get to Mystic Falls today, her plans call for it. But she can’t tell if any of the roads they list are the ones she and Elijah will be taking.

“We should be fine along this route.” Elijah finally says, and she almost sighs out loud in relief. It wouldn’t do good for Elijah to start questioning her need to be there at a certain time. But, like he said, they would be fine. Probably.

They were not fine. They snow was coming down hard now, and they were halfway through the mountains, with places to stop far and few between. Elijah’s blinker turns on, for all the good that will do them, when they see a sign for a motel at the next exit.

“Wait, we’re not stopping, are we?” Fuck it, Kat was beginning to panic. And she didn’t panic. She stayed calm and collected while everything went to shit around her. And it always went to shit.

“Katerina,” Elijah’s most commanding voice came out, “unless you have a sufficiently compelling reason, I will not be risking your life on these roads at night. And,” he adds when she opens her mouth, “don’t insult me by underestimating how much I value your continued existence.”

She sits back against her seat with a pout. This would seriously delay her plans for Mystic Falls. Though, if she were the type to look on the bright side, she could admit it might help her brand-new win Elijah back plot. Should she decide he was worth it. The apologies were nice, groveling would be nicer.

They pulled into the motel’s parking lot on shaky wheels. It was nowhere near nice enough to house either of them under normal circumstances, but the radio had reported their road was closed after their conversation in the car. Elijah leaves the car running so she won’t freeze while he goes inside to check in. When he comes back, his face is grim.

“I’m afraid they only had one room left, and it’s heater has been on the fritz for a while.” He looks down at her stiletto-clad feet with a frown. “Do you have more practical shoe wear?” The incredulous look she shoots him is answer enough. “Very well, take my arm, I’ll do my best to keep you steady.”

Elijah is overly concerned, she thinks, as he guides her to their room. (It has actual keys instead of key cards, that’s how old the place is.) He opens the door, but abruptly stops in the doorway. She steadies herself on him, before peering into the room.

There was only one bed.

Well, her plans to woo Elijah just hit make-it or break-it point.


	3. A heatless motel room

Elijah dragged his hand over his face. He really wished he didn’t have to do what he was about to do. At least Niklaus was the least obnoxious of his siblings.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, brother?”

“I am calling so you can inform the remainder of the family that I won’t be arriving until tomorrow.”

“Ran into that nasty weather did you? Or just taking a detour to spend time with the lovely Katerina?” Elijah is silent. “I would help you out, but I’m staying over with Caroline. I’m afraid that my calling the house to inform them would only make everyone more eager to talk to you.”

“And here I was hoping to avoid their inquisition.” He can see Katerina eye him from where she’s busy with her suitcase. He really ought to offer her his flannel pajamas, he doubts she brought anything appropriate for the weather. “The motel we stopped at only had one room left, I should hate to subject either Katerina or myself to their assumptions.” He left out that there was only one bed and no heat; he only trusted Niklaus so far.

Right on cue, his brother laughed. “Yes, I can see the hell they would put you through. You really shouldn’t tell them that. I’ll keep the secret of your sordid little affair.”

“There is no…” Elijah trailed off, not wanting Katerina to hear him repeat his brother’s claim.

“Well, I would suggest informing Bekah first, she’ll likely be the most put out you are missing. And do let me know whether to expect Katerina at Christmas dinner.” Klaus starts laughing at him again. This is why he hated involving his family in anything involving her. In anything involving any of the women he dated, truth be told. No one was ever good enough for a Mikaelson and unlike Niklaus, he wasn’t in the habit of biting off the head of those who belittled his dates. Maybe he should start. He hung up without goodbye. It was a sorry day indeed, that he was considering following his most temperamental brother’s example.

The phone call to Rebekah goes better, if only because he planned it more thoroughly than the one with Niklaus. She was disappointed he and Nik weren’t there to act as a buffer to Kol’s more obnoxious tendencies and Finn’s more smothering ones, and she was more than happy to inform him of her displeasure. When he finally got off the phone with her, he blinked twice at the mug of tea beside him on the little table. It surely hadn’t been there before.

Katerina smiled at him, with less certainty than usual. “I know you think microwave tea is an ‘abomination’” she does a horrible mimicry of his accent at the word, “but I didn’t pack a kettle with the tea bags.”

He takes a sip. “It’s wonderful, thank you.” He pauses, unsure how to voice his next concern.

“Get it out Elijah.” Her imperious voice returned.

“Did you pack any sleepwear that’s… appropriate…. for this weather? I can lend you some of my things.” He hurriedly swallows some of the tea, burning his throat.

“Did you seriously think I was planning on sleeping in lingerie in this weather?” His face doesn’t change. “Pretty sure I’d drown in any of your clothes.”

“I have flannel.” He supplies without looking at her, rifling through his own suitcase.

“Fine, fuck it. I’ll take whatever I can get.” She shuts her suitcase with a slam, holding just her toiletry case. She holds her free hand out toward him and makes a grabbing motion. “Well?” She asks, and he drops his warmest pajamas in her outstretched hand. She turns on her heel without another word, marching into the bathroom and slamming the door. This was going to be a long night.

Kat spent longer than she needed to in the bathroom, staring at her own reflection. Would he notice if she touched up her makeup? Was that a sign of weakness? She didn’t want to wake up with her face caked on the pillow, but a little waterproof mascara couldn’t hurt, right? They both prided themselves on being presentable at all times, him with his suits and her with her, well, everything. But all bets were off when you woke up next to someone in the morning. They hadn’t spent a night together since they were both in college, he was in his second year of law school when they broke up her senior year. She shook herself out of her thoughts and left her underwear on when she stripped her clothes off to change into his flannel pajamas. She was right, she was practically drowning in them, but they somehow smelled like him, despite being clean. Perhaps it was his laundry detergent, and god, wasn’t that sad, that she was breathing in the scent of laundry detergent like it could save her soul.

Taking a deep breath, she studies herself in the mirror now that she was wearing his clothes. Normally, she’d only wear his shirt for seduction purposes, but he was practical enough that any attempt to not bundle up would just set her back in terms of getting in his pants. No need to argue when they were stuck with each other overnight.

She pushed open the bathroom door and heard Elijah do a quick intake of breath, his eyes raking over her form. She didn’t think she looked that good, but he always had a secret possessive side that was probably the reason he was looking at her like that, bundled up in his clothes. She gave her best smirk. “Any chance the TV works? I might get bored just watching you read.”

“Unfortunately,” came his dry reply, “It appears the storm knocked out the cable. So you’ll have to do with one of my books.” He patted the stack beside him. “Though I must warn you, most of it is law literature.”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Thanks, but I’ll just watch your expressions when you come across a typo. Way more entertaining.” To her surprise, he chuckles in response. She flops down on the bed, any pretense of grace forgotten. “We probably won’t be able to leave until the snow plows get here in the morning, so no point going to bed early.” She plasters on her most suggestive expression. “If only there was some way to occupy our time.” Her hand trails the side of his arm and he visibly steels himself.

“Katerina..” he warned in a stern voice, and god if that wasn’t a turn on. 

“I’m not the reason we didn’t work out the first time, ‘Lijah.” Two could play the admonishment game.

In a sudden movement, he rolled on top of her, holding himself inches from her face. “And now?” he inquired, but she was too breathless to answer. “Will you be the reason we don’t have a chance now?” She could feel the heat of his breath warming her face.

There’s a beat or two before she opens her mouth to answer. But at that moment, the lights flicker and go out. They had just lost power.

Elijah rolled off as if burned, moving as quickly as possible. She scrambles to find her suitcase in the dark, letting out a triumphant yell upon finding her flashlight. She flipped it on and set it facing the ceiling on her bedside table, to give off what light it could.

“Would it be insulting to say I am surprised you are so well prepared?” He murmured once she climbed back in bed, burrowing under the blankets. His face temporarily creases with concern. “Why are you so prepared for our misfortune?”

“I didn’t know about the snowstorm, if that’s what you’re asking. And what did I say about underestimating me?” She flashes her most wicked smile, and the corners of his eyes crease in a near smile in response. He joins her under the covers, careful to keep his distance.

“I’ll endeavor to be wiser in the future” he murmurs, and they fall into a companionable silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER IS SMUT!!! Or at the very least lots of *rocky horror voice* hEaVy pEtTiNg


	4. SMUT ALERT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is smut ahead. You have been warned.

Neither had spoken in a little while when they started to hear bedsprings, creaking in rhythm. Kat has trouble deciding if she should laugh or be horrified when they hear voices coming from the next door room. “Oh, Herbie” a woman groans.

“Sheryl” comes the moaned reply, from what sounds like two grandparents having a lovely time in the next room over.

That breaks her finely honed control, and she giggled. Kat never giggled. She smirked, at most. And here she was, giggling like a schoolgirl. She changed a glance over at Elijah, and he was wearing a bemused smile, watching her. He brought a gloved hand up to her face, cupping it gently and she only giggled more. It was just such a ridiculous scenario they had found themselves in, and now he was looking like he wanted to kiss her, which was equally ridiculous. She was so focused on the ridiculousness of it that she almost missed it when he did kiss her, cradling her face in both hands with a gentleness she nearly forgot he possessed. 

But it wasn’t nearly enough, so she straddled him, running her hands through his hair as she kissed him fiercely back. They trade kisses back and forth, showering each other with small presses against their temples and cheeks before returning to more frantic kisses against the mouth, their bodies moving in unison.

“Herbie” They hear a moan from the other room and break apart.

Elijah gently places her back on her side of the bed. “I didn’t…. I never…”

“You’ve never started making out with someone because you heard two horny old people going at it?” She teased, trying to cover up the hurt from him pushing her away.

“Something like that” comes his chagrined reply.

“Hopefully neither of them bust a hip.” She mutters, and he almost smiles. She slides closer to him under the covers and sees him frown. “What? It’s cold. I don’t have cooties you know.” She nestles closer until he puts his arms around her, pulling her tight against his chest.

He breathes in her shampoo for a few moments. “What if there was a chance for us again?”

She tilts her head from where it’s buried in his neck to try and look up at him. “Let’s be honest, right now you wouldn’t believe me if I said I wanted something long term, and I wouldn’t believe you if you apologized.” He sighed into her hair.

“And if I said I would settle for something short term?”

She smiled against his collarbone. “Then, I would say we could make each other very warm.” She began a slow, tortuous ascent up his neck with her lips, pressing kisses as light as butterflies until he groans. She slides up the bed until their heads are level and pauses, her lips a hair from his ear. “I want to hear you say it Elijah.”

“Katerina” he groans as she playfully bites an earlobe. “I want you.”

She holds his face between her hands. “You want me bad.” But she doesn’t wait for a response, plunging her tongue into his mouth, which eagerly opens to accept her. His hands come up, one hitching her leg over his hip, the other clutching her hair, just shy of painful. She grinds her body up against his, until she makes a noise of frustration and flips them so she’s on top.

“So impatient” he murmurs to the sweet spot below her jaw and she moans. He still remembered all the ways she liked it. The hand that had been clutching her leg was now firmly planted on her ass, the hand in her hair directing her head where he wanted it to go. Her hands start to sneak through his layers, searching for skin along his waistband. He groans with pleasure when she finally makes contact, glad she hadn’t worn her gloves to bed. God, this is what she’d been missing. They always fit so well together. His hand moves up to cup her breast and she shucks off the sweater she’d put over his flannel, helping him put his hands under the shirt. She sits upright, grinding against his cock through their pajamas, as he envelopes each breast in a large hand.

It’s his turn to flip them, though he’s careful not to crush her under his weight once she’s beneath him. “I liked that position,” she complains.

His answer is a murmur. “I’ll make it up to you.” His hand slips below her pajama bottoms, pausing at her underwear line. “Since when do you wear these to bed?” He asks, playing with the waistband. 

“Since it’s freezing outside. And since I thought you weren’t interest--” She gasps as his hand plunges into her folds before finding his mouth with hers again. He alternates between rubbing circles around her clit and plunging his fingers into her core, all while kissing her fiercely. She comes undone when he murmurs filthy words in her ear. 

“What about you?” she asks once she can breathe again.

“I didn’t pack any condoms” he admits, his breathing strained as she wrapped her legs back around him for better contact.

“I did. In my toiletry bag.” He’s off her in a second, rummaging around in the bathroom with her flashlight. It’s too cold with him gone, she thinks, but he’s back again in a moment with the foil wrapper.

“Will you be warm enough?” There is genuine concern in his voice, and it warms her in a very different way.

She props herself up on her elbows to shimmy the flannel pants down. “I’ll be fine, just get inside me.” 

He removes his own pants and rolls on the condom, pushing inside her with one smooth motion and they moan in unison. He whispers words in bulgarian in her ear, praises of her body and how beautiful she is, and she nearly comes undone again just from that. When he’s straining toward his own release, smoothly thrusting into her core, he moves a hand down to circle her clit. They pant in unison, bodies moving together until they find their release, one right after the other. He holds her a moment, before rolling off to dispose of the condom and she shimmies her pajama pants back up against the sudden chill.

He comes back from the bathroom with his own pajama pants on, joining her under the covers, immediately taking her into his arms. “I forgot how much of a cuddler you are.” She isn’t complaining though, as he merely squeezes her tighter, maneuvering them for the most contact to share body heat.

“You are rather big on post-coital contact as well, if I recall correctly.” His words are slurred with sleep, and she lets the same feeling overtake her as well, content to drift peacefully in his arms.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm looking for beta readers for this and my other works; I'm still trying to figure out how it would work, feel free to comment below if interested.
> 
> Edit: Feel free to comment about non-beta stuff as well, I love hearing from y'all!


	5. Family-oriented crimes

Elijah wakes up before Katerina, and carefully extracts himself from her embrace to check outside. The snow has piled up; he’ll likely need to shovel out his SUV. Popping open the trunk to search for the snow shovel, he hears the neighboring motel room door open.

  
A genial man in his mid-70s greets him. “Elijah, I presume. Have a good night?” He pauses his search, frozen with horror at how the man recognized him. 

He unglued himself and strives to answer casually. “Herbie. I assume it was as good as yours.” 

The older man laughs, and claps him on the side. “Here, I have a snow shovel you can borrow if you need it.” Elijah murmurs thanks and relieves the man of the shovel, starting in on the snow.

  
  


Kat woke up to a cold bed, more than a little disappointed that Elijah wasn’t in bed with her. Oh well. She had some snacks packed away that could substitute as breakfast, she might as well get those out now. Elijah comes in once she’s started in on the second wrapper, flush with exertion. She quirks an eyebrow. “What were you doing that has you all hot and bothered?” 

“Snow shoveling. The car was nearly buried in it.” He answers, not looking at her. That just won’t do. She climbs over the bed to reach up and tug on his loosened tie, forcing him to meet her eyes. “I ran into our room neighbors.” Her confusion shows on her face, because he continues. “Herbie lent me a snow shovel.”

Kat smirks, biting back her laughter. “I take it you recognized each other by voice?” she teased. Not that she would want to run into Herbie or Sheryl, but seeing Elijah flustered was always so... adorable. She missed this side of him.

He gently removed his tie from her grip and readjusted it so it fit correctly. “The snow plows should be here within an hour, so we can get going not long after that. Katerina,” he softens his words as she moves to pull away, “Will you tell me where you expect to stay in Mystic Falls now? While I have enjoyed our time in this quaint establishment, there isn’t a hotel worthy of the name near that town. You could have much better accommodations if you stayed with me.”

Kat sighs and pulls away completely. If she wasn’t still riding a post-coital glow she’d be regretting making the journey to Mystic Falls with someone as doggedly stubborn as Elijah. As it was, perhaps she could tell him the truth. Or at least part of it. “There’s .. a girl, in Mystic Falls. I guess she’s a woman now that she’s in her residency, but I think we are related. This trip was to find out how.”

Elijah’s face becomes creased with concern. He always knew her family, or lack thereof, was a sore spot for her. She can see the warring factions on his face as he decides whether to say something. He pulls himself together quickly though, drawing himself to his full height. “I would be happy to assist you in discovering your connection to this woman.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, ‘Lijah” she teases, though her heart breaks a little that she can’t accept. Not with her current plans. “You should know, I’ve visited the town a couple times, under a false name. Not everything I’ve done, or are planning to do, has been entirely legal.”

Once again, his face is full of conflict. He kneels on the bed to get closer to her height, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead. “I’ll pursue the legal avenues for you then, shall I?”

  
  
  


Kat and Elijah are greeted outside the new Mikaelson mansion by Klaus and his new girlfriend, Caroline Forbes, once they finally arrive in town. Klaus and Elijah are excessively casual in their stance, trying to appear as if they hadn’t missed each other. Kat shakes her head. The Mikaelsons had such strange ideas as to what constituted a weakness.

Caroline, however, had no such foibles. “Katherine!” She called warmly and rushed to embrace the brunette. But in that instance, Klaus’s posture changed, his face going near feral, placing an arm around Caroline’s waist to pull her flush against him.

“Klaus. Klaus!” She squirms against him, and he finally lets her go with a brief look of shame crossing his face, even as he places himself more firmly between the blonde and Kat. “What’s going on?” Caroline looked wildly from her boyfriend to Kat, who she knew as Katherine.

“It appears your dalliance has been playing games in this town, Elijah” Klaus calls out to his brother. “I must say I don’t appreciate it.”

“She has already explained herself to me,” Elijah replied calmly. “There was no need to manhandle your own date.” 

Klaus’s face is full of shame again, only to be quickly smoothed out into his signature smirk. “I was happy for you when I thought you were just taking a side trip, but to bring such a liar to family dinner…” Klaus sneers.

Caroline peers out from behind Klaus. “Will someone tell me what’s going on? Katherine’s a friend.”

“Her name is Katerina Petrova, she likely fed you a false identity, love.”

Kat laughs. “How do you know Katerina is my real name? Maybe I’ve been lying to Elijah and the rest of you this whole time.” She smirks at him and Klaus visibly seethes. “It’s nice to see you again, Caroline” she calls to the half hidden blonde.

Caroline takes everyone by surprise when her face erupts in glee. “I won’t be the biggest topic of gossip today!” She shouts and begins twirling around in a little dance. “Thank you so much Kat, this is going to be great!”

Elijah attempts to corral the group. “Perhaps if we all went inside…”

“Elijah, wait.” Kat grabs his arm. “It’ll be bad enough to explain it to Klaus, let alone the rest of your family. Let’s just say it out here.” He looks at her uncertainly, then nods at her resolve. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself. 

“I think Elena Gilbert is my sister.”

  
  


Klaus is the first to recover. “Elena, your friend who can’t make up her mind between two brothers?”

“First of all, she’s poly, I told you that already.” Klaus and Caroline descend into good-natured bickering, completely ignoring Katerina and Elijah, who looks at them shocked.

“If we could just get inside…” He begins again, but Kat pulls him away from the bickering new couple. He looks at her in confusion.

“While I appreciate the invite to family dinner…” She trails off for a moment and understanding dawns on his face. 

“You won’t be staying.” He says matter-of-factly.

“It’s bad enough Caroline knows I’m in town, with what I’m planning. Ask her to keep quiet, will you?” He nods, clearly unhappy with the arrangement. 

She presses a kiss to his cheek, swiftly as she can manage. Grabbing her suitcase, she starts walking along the sidewalk toward town, determined to lay low until tonight.

  
  
  


Kat was exhausted when she finally arrived at the Gilbert family medical practice an hour past midnight, so much so that she was halfway through her lockpicking kit before she noticed the door was already unlocked. Cursing herself, she stepped cautiously into the office, noticing light coming from the door to the record room. She threw open the door, determined to see who was committing her crime for the night, only to see Elijah standing there, fully decked out in his suit, with latex gloves as he rifled through a filing cabinet.

“Ah good, Katerina, you’re here.” 

He doesn’t say anything else, and Kat rubs her eyes, trying to take the whole scene in. Kol, Klaus, Sage, and Rebekah are all similarly wearing latex gloves and rifling through the cabinets.

“This Dr Gilbert had a terrible filing system.” Rebekah laments, before turning to Kat. “Don’t worry, Elijah made us swear up and down we wouldn't read your baby sister’s file.”

Kol holds up another file, face filled with glee. “He didn’t make us promise not to break HIPAA for anyone else though, so I fully intend to abuse whatever information I can.”

Kat is stunned for several moments. “You…” she clears her throat. “You got your entire family to commit a crime for me?”

“Technically, this counts as several crimes,” Sage calls out from near the back of the room. “And Finn is here too, he’s lookout.”

Elijah comes up to her and grasps her hands in his gloved ones. “Please don’t underestimate us, we’d have to be caught for anything we are doing to be considered a crime.” His eyes twinkle as he throws her words from a few days ago back in her face. 

Kat is left speechless, a rarity for her, and so she simply throws her arms around Elijah and draws him in for a long, slow kiss.

They only break apart once Rebekah’s sneering voice breaks though. “I found the file, you two can stop being disgusting.”

“Like you don’t wish you had someone to be disgusting with, Bekah.” Kol laughs at his sister and she nearly throws the file in question at him before Elijah steps up smoothly and takes it from her.

Someone’s phone beeps and Klaus speaks up. “Hope that’s all the files you needed, because that was Finn’s signal that someone’s coming.”

They all clamor out the back door, doing their best to keep quiet even as Rebekah and Kol are in a heated whispered argument. Kat keeps the file pressed close to her chest as they flee the scene of their crime. Once safely ensconced in Elijah’s car, the rest of the Mikaelson’s went directly to the Grille to drink the night away, she finally opens the file.

_ Healthy baby girl born to Isobel Flemming. _

They did share a birth mom.


	6. Christmas with the Mikaelsons

“Just because we’ve decided to tolerate you doesn’t mean you can invite that sniveling Gilbert girl to any future family get-togethers.” Rebekah points a finger menacingly at Kat, an effect rather ruined by the Santa hat placed on her head by Kol.

“Aw, that was almost sweet of you Beks, have you been taking lessons?” Kat taunts back and Kol laughs as he circuits the room, placing hats on everyone. Klaus looks ready to punch Kol for trying it on him until Caroline takes it from Kol’s hands and places it adoringly on Klaus’s head, who softens.

“I still can’t believe you guys didn’t invite me!” Caroline says once she’s happy with the placement of Klaus’s hat. “I would have loved to commit a breaking and entering.”

“We didn’t want to create conflict, what with your mother being sheriff.” Elijah begins smoothly, but Caroline just snorts.

“The smart thing to do would have been to use my knowledge, if you were dead set on helping Katherine.” She smiles across the room at Kat, still used to using her fake name. Klaus grumbles that he told them so and she pats his hand encouragingly. “Besides, I was involved in every harmless illegal thing happening in high school, I’m a little miffed to be excluded now.”

They were all sitting in the parlor, having been banished from the kitchen by Finn, and Sage was busy cleaning the table off from Christmas Dinner. She refused to let anyone else help, saying they had all traveled to be here and were her guests.

Elijah is sitting in a large cushy armchair, and Kat is resting lightly on the armrest, the hand not clutching a scotch wrapped around her waist. She sips on the champagne Caroline and Rebekah are also enjoying.

"How often are you guys planning on having these family get-togethers? They seem to attract drama." Kat is understanding of Caroline's glee upon her arrival now, she was actually rather hoping something else dramatic happened that would keep them from bringing up her new sister or the crimes they commited on her behalf.

Elijah answers, squeezing her waist. "As often as we are able, hopefully. Especially now that we all get along better."

"He means now that our horrid parents are dead and Sage removed the stick up Finn's ass." Kol calls out from where he's pestering Rebekah on the other side of the room.

Sage enters the room at that moment, Finn on her arm. "I don't see why you need to bring our sex life up" she smirks.

Rebekah looks ready to throw something at Sage. "You are absolutely horrid, you know that's not what Kol meant." Kol just shrugs his shoulders. "And you better get started on your baby making machine, if you don't want to be outmatched by Elijah and Katerina here."

"Excuse you?!?!?" 

"That's quite unnecessary, Rebekah."

They respond at the same time and glare at his sister, who looks unrepentant. "You two dated for years back in the day, it's not like you're starting from scratch. You'll be married by next Christmas, or else you'll break up and we'll have committed plebain crimes for nothing."

"Bekah!" Kol laments, "you can't tell them that, it ruins the betting pool!"

"What betting pool?" Klaus looks exceedingly interested. "Why haven't you approached me on this, I'd love to put money down."

"Because he's also betting on you and Caroline." Rebekah replies, and the two in question immediately jump up and start admonishing Kol.

Kat slides down from the arm of Elijah's chair into his lap while everyone is shouting, wrapping her free arm around his neck. "Want to sneak away and make out like teenagers?" She teases, playing with his tie.

"I thought you'd never ask" he replies grimly and she laughs at the seriousness in his voice. Leaving their drinks on the table, they hurriedly exit the room, heading upstairs to Elijah’s guest bedroom. When he pushes her up against the door and kisses her wildly, eyes alight with lust, Kat sighs and can’t help but think this is her best Christmas yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I originally planned on following all the books in the inspiration series, and do a fake dating story for either Rebekah or Kol next, but I'm probably going to take a break from this series for a while. Hope you've enjoyed all the Mikaelson's shenanigans!


End file.
